Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I aint makin money, and if u sue me, I'm gonna hit u so hard ure mama's gonna feel it! Sorry, I've had an irritating day.
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Miracles
Part 4
There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. One is as though everything is a miracle.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Scott walked solemnly down the hall away from Shelby's hospital room. Visiting hours were over and he had to return to the waiting room with the rest of the cliffhangers, but He knew he would be back that night, and so did Shelby, he hoped. It was just a matter of hours before everyone was asleep and he could sneak upstairs to her. The only thing he would have to be careful of was the nurses. If they caught him upstairs, they would tell Peter and then he would REALLY be in trouble.
Thinking up this plan was taking his mind off Shel's surgery, but deep inside he knew this didn't look good. All the time he saw movies with this kind of situation and the person never made it. But he wasn't going to think like that about Shelby. She was a fighter. She was strong, and she would pull through. She had to.
Scott and Peter walked down the hall of the hospital toward the elevator. "Look, Scott, I know you're excited about Shelby being awake, but I don't want any funny stuff, got it?" he asked. He pushed the button and the elevator made a cheerful ding as it opened. There was no one else in the elevator. They stepped in and the door shut behind them. "Got it?" he repeated once again.
"Got it, no funny stuff." Scott said in a sing songy voice.
"That didn't sound very promising. Scott this isn't Horizon, sneaking around here isn't as easy as it is at Horizon, and by the way, I know you and Shelby have been sneaking to the gazebo after lights out." He added quickly. "This is whole new territory. Different rules apply here, and I expect you to obey them. If you can't, and I know you won't want to hear this, I'll have Sophie take you back. We have plenty of room in some of the other groups until we get back."
"Why are you telling me all this? I haven't even done anything." Yet, he almost added, but decided it would be a dead giveaway of his plans
a "Because I see a lot of me in you. I know what you're thinking as hard as that may be to believe, and I know you're gonna try something. You figure you'll wait till everybody's asleep and then sneak out. But you'll have to be careful of the nurses so you'll come up with some clever disguise." Peter said hitting it right on the nail.
Scott quickly shrugged and thinking fast said "No, but now I can't use that plan. Thanks a lot."
"Uh huh. Right. Just know...I'll be watching you tonight. You pull one stunt," the door opened. They stepped out. "and you're gone. Finished. Pack your bags and go back to Horizon cuz you'll have crossed the line."
Scott rolled his eyes and said "Whatever." He was still intent on going through with his plan. Peter couldn't stay up all night, could he?
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Scott entered the private waiting room for Shelby. Everyone sat around reading, and watching the small cable TV. Actually that was what most people were doing. They hadn't seen a TV in so long, let alone a comedy show. They sat there, eyes glues to the television. Scott chuckled to himself. David, Ezra, Juliette and Daisy sat there. They looked as though nothing could rip them from that TV. Nothing. Scott sighed and sat next to Auggie.
"Hey." Scott whispered. Auggie glanced up from his book. "I'm gonna go see Shelby tonight."
"After visiting hours?" Auggie inquired quietly barely glancing up from his book. He was trying to be inconspicuous so Peter wouldn't think something was up with them.
"Yeah. If anyone wakes up and uhhhhh notices I'm gone....will you cover for me?"
"Hey, you got it. I know you'd do the same if it was me and Jules." He whispered.
"Yeah." Scott said so quietly it could barely be heard. "Yeah, I would. Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
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Night fall came. Scott listened to the steady breathing of those around him, and he knew they were asleep. Yes, even Peter and drifted to sleep. He obviously couldn't help it. This had been one extremely long day. He stood up in the darkness and fumbled for his shoes. He got them on very quietly, stood, and inched his way to the door. His heart was pounding in his ears. He almost expected Peter or Sophie to flip on the lights as he grasped the doorknob with his sweaty hand, and was very close to being startled when nothing happened. He turned the knob and pushed the door open slightly and squeezed through, being careful not to let a lot of light through.
When he was finally out in the hall he let out a long sigh of relief. He saw a nurse coming and he didn't have time to hide.
"Young man. Can I help you?" she asked in a snotty tone.
"No. I'm going to the bathroom. I don't need any help in there."
The nurse turned red. "Just remember, there's no one in the patients' rooms after visiting hours, so you'll have to return to the waiting room."
"Of course I will. You don't trust me?" he tried to sweet talk
"It's not that...we just have to make sure—"
"Right, right. Well good night lady." He said and patted her arm. He walked in to the bathroom. He peeked out and watched her. She shook her head and muttered something along the lines of "What a weird kid" and then walked on. Scott laughed to himself and then dashed out of the bathroom. He saw a doctors outfit hanging on a rack and he grabbed it. He ran into an empty room and put it on over his clothes. He then walked out into the halls. Nurses nodded at him and said hi. Great! They actually think I'm a doctor. He thought to himself happily. He made it to Shelby's room and slipped in. She sat up and groaned.
"Oh, doctor. Please say no more medicine" he said beginning to sound as whiny as Juliet. The man turned around. "Because I am so sick of taking pill after pill, so please s---" she stopped when the man pulled the cover off his mouth. "SCOTT!" she yelled.
"SHHHHHH!" he said. "I had enough trouble getting up here without getting caught, and I don't want to have wasted all my time to get caught now, so keep it down." He hissed.
"Sorry," she whispered. He sat down in the chair next to her bed.
"Are you actually surprised? You didn't actually think I would break our nightly sneak out, did you?" she shrugged.
"I guess things have changed a little now that I have this thing." She said pointing to her head. She laid back resting her head on the pillow and squeezed her eyes shut trying to block the pain.
"Shel, you're gonna be okay." He said
"First I've heard. Scott......most people don't come out of this kind of surgery alive."
"But you're not most people, Shel. You're you. And you're a fighter. You're my fighter. You gotta believe you're gonna make it tomorrow." She shrugged.
"But I don't believe that."
"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you! Shelby, it's me! You know....you know you're gonna be okay. You hafta!"
"Scott." She said sitting up. "I have a chance...a small one, but a chance. Look..I don't wanna leave you..but it's not my choice. Just know..if I don't make it out of this surgery..I loved you...I do love you still. And even though my body might die...that doesn't mean I die. That's your decision."
"Don't think like that! You WILL make it! YOU WILL!" he said raising his voice. Tears flooded his eyes, blurring his vision. Shelby hated to see him like this, but she wasn't going to lead him on. She wasn't going to tell him that it she was sure to make it. Then she would be lying to him ,and he was the last person that she wanted to lie to.
"Scott I---"
"Just ......drop it. I can't handle this right now, I can't." He said. He stood and left the room without even fixing his disguise.
He ran into Peter. Peter smiled with a look on his face that said 'busted'. "Paging Dr. Barringer. Paging Dr. Barringer. You're needed in the principal's office." He said without feeling.
"Just knock it off Peter. I'm under a lot of stress."
"Hey, watch your mouth. Let's go to the cafeteria and get something to eat. We'll discuss punishment there." Peter snapped. He grabbed Scott's shirt by the collar and drug him into the elevator.
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"Why did you disobey me?" Peter asked as they sat at one of the tables in the hospital cafeteria.
"I had to see Shelby." Was the only explanation he offered.
"Scott, I can't have you breaking my rules right and left. I don't care what the circumstances are. You do the crime, you do the time. I'm sure you're familiar with that saying by now. When we get back to Horizon, you're on isolation cabin for a week, and then shuns for a day." Scott leaned forward on the table, anger rising.
"Why are you being so hard on me?!" he yelled and the overwhelming feeling he needed to cry took him over.
"BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE HURTING HERE, SCOTT!" Peter yelled. "YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE IN PAIN?! YOU'RE NOT! EVERYONE'S HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THIS, BUT YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE GIVING ME ALL THIS TROUBLE!"
Scott leaned back in his seat and looked away. He knew Peter was right. "You wanna know why I'm acting like this?" he said quietly. "It's because I'm so afraid of losing her it hurts."
Peter sat silently looking at this young man that reminded him so much of himself. "I know." Was all he could say. "But Scott....I just can't have you using your emotions for an excuse to break the rules. You just have to realize----"
"I have to realize that it's simply not acceptable to break the rules. I have been here long enough to know better and you won't stand for it. I know, I have to be an example for everyone else. It was childish and I'm embarrassed." He said without feeling. He knew the whole speech by heart. Peter smiled slightly.
"I'm sorry I had to be so rough on you." Scott rolled his eyes and slumped in his chair.
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9 A.M. slowly came around the bend. Scott felt awful about the way he had treated Shelby last night, but there was nothing he could do about it. She was going into surgery right now, and there was no telling if she would come back. Shelby's words haunted his mind. "I have a chance...a small one, but a chance. Look, I don't want to leave you, but it's not my choice." He stood up and left the waiting room where everyone sat quietly watching television. Peter saw him go, but didn't stop him. Scott needed some alone time. He found an empty room and sunk to his knees. He let the tears fall down like rain. "I'm such a jerk!" he said sobbing. "How could I leave her...and now...I might...never...see her again." He choked out to himself. He looked up and saw a picture of Jesus with little children gathered at his feet. Scott stopped crying and looked at the picture. A calming feeling went over his whole body. His tensed muscles relaxed, his tired eyes felt normal again and his heart didn't feel so heavy. He knew the answer. He knew what to do. He looked up at the picture and started to pray to heaven for Shelby.
"God...I" he started. " know you and I haven't exactly been best friends...There was a lot of stuff I could have come to you with, but I didn't. I kinda know I really have no right to be asking anything of you. I don't deserve anything I ask for anyway....but this is something I just can't live without. If Shelby leaves I'll be lost. You know how much she means to me, so I don't have to tell you. I just need some sort of sign. Some sort or something to tell me that Shelby's gonna be okay. That's all I want. I sincerely need this. Just a little everyday miracle...because I have nowhere else to turn. So please. Just a sign. Thanks for listening...if you heard me...Amen." Scott stood up and took one last long look at the picture. He then went out into the hall and sat down at a bench and laid his head in his hands. He had done all he could, and it was no longer in his hands. Peter came and sat beside him. They sat silently together for almost a half an hour and then Peter spoke.
"So...where'd you sneak off to?"
"I uh...had to go talk to an old friend."
Peter nodded and said "You were praying for Shelby weren't you." Scott nodded
"I asked for a sign..yah know that she'd be okay."
"Scott..I want to show you something." He said Scott turned and looked at him. "If you really were praying for a miracle," he said drawing the blinds revealing the outside, "then I'd say your prayers were answered. I don't know what you would call a blizzard in the middle of summer, but I would call it a miracle." The ground was covered with a fluffy blanket of snow and it was still coming down showing no signs of stopping. A shiver ran down Scott's spine. Peter smiled and walked away. Scott stared out the window at his sign. He rested his head on the window and watched it snow. He was sure of it now. Shelby was going to be okay. "Thanks, God. Thanks" he said with a huge sigh of relief. It felt as though the empty feeling in the pit of his stomach had been filled. He smiled and he actually believed it when he said "Shelby's gonna be okay. I'm gonna be okay. I guess miracles really do happen."
The End